My 1939 pickup named “Uncle Raeman”

[Clem Clement]

My 1939 pickup named “Uncle Raeman”

Uncle Raeman took over as my Dad after Daddy died. Uncle Raeman drove a beat up 5 window Chebby pickup with Borden’s Garage on the white sides and a gas welding rig in the back. He passed on 2 years after Daddy. I wanted that truck! My 1940 Merc was sold and I was driving Mothers ‘41 Ford coupe. I was on the soccer team at my college, Stevens in Hoboken, where the coach said you can’t have Saturday game day off to go to the action. Uncle Joe and Uncle Tom were there. I don’t know who got the truck but I never saw it any more.
Many years later as I was about to graduate from USAF flying school the fateful morning came for us all to pick our choice of aircraft. We had 7 fighters on the list and they went early. Passenger planes, tankers next on and on. When my turn came, they offered B-52, B-47, C-198 C-124, C-130 WB-50, RB-50, KB-50 KC-135, KC 97 +more.
I had grown up on the Brigantine Island and maintained a weather station in our place. I had been thru several hurricanes and thought I knew something so I chose the WB-50 weather recon airplane. 3 years later and 2100 pilot hours, I took a WB to the bone yard as the Squadron closed and I went on to fly KB-50s tactical tankers. About a year and a half later, after we crashed 2 of them killing ½ of a crew, I took a KB-50 to the junk yards. Charlie Brown was the next pilot behind me in flying school rankings and he took the only RB-30 offered. He went to a Photo Recce Squadron who were photographing territories in South America. He lived there with his wife for a couple of years until that RB was junked. The late Gil Williams was an engineer assigned to the ground portion of their mission. Had I selected the RB, I might have met Gill I years earlier. Gill and I played together with Model A Fords here is VA. He had an old green 1939 tired pickup which eventually came my way. The Late Mr. Ed and the Late Gill built the truck from pieces of 3 trucks, as I understand it. They added some good stuff and 94327502973 steel coat-hangers source of welding metal to hold things together. In sum: I own a fun pickup with lots of history. I did not even know what a “horse collar” truck was.
I love bending wrenches. I thought after Daddy died, I would go work for Uncle Raeman and get my own shop someday. Not to be. I have gathered books on the ‘39 and fixed a ton of things. Oh, the patina. I love the well-worked look. A truuuck should show what he’d done. Back in the farms of South Jersey, if a farmer could scrape enough chicken egg coins to buy a new truck, he did not waste the trip to the dealer. He did the weeks shopping, grabbed a pig or two and some chickens and concrete then drove to his bud’s farm to show off the new truck. it was a tired truck from day one because it was a working tool
My truck named Uncle Raeman, is fun to work on. I relieve my stresses under him. He ain’t worth much, but we are a team learning about trucking in the slow lane.
Clem

[tubman]

Great story, Clem, but I have to say that I was a little disappointed when I came to the end and there was no picture.

Could you possibly sneak one in? I'd love to see "Uncle Raeman".

[V8COOPMAN]

Hey Clem.....Interesting story there, for sure! You know, I'm familiar with almost every aircraft you've listed above but somehow, I know nothing of, nor can I picture an "RB-30" or a "C-198". Can you help a dumb guy here with a little more info on exactly what each of these two aircraft are or were? Thanks....DD

[KGS]

Originally Posted by V8COOPMAN

Hey Clem.....Interesting story there, for sure! You know, I'm familiar with almost every aircraft you've listed above but somehow, I know nothing of, nor can I picture an "RB-30" or a "C-198". Can you help a dumb guy here with a little more info on exactly what each of these two aircraft are or were? Thanks....DD

I'm betting on an RB-50 and C-119...

[Clem Clement]

KGS has it right, sloppy typing and proofing. I'm so tired these days, thanks for the interest, SAC aircrew positions were low in priority:low flying hours and lots to alert time and no fun. In MAC we got great rules and good TDY rooms. In TAC non-fighters, they got to sleep under the wing and c-rats. I was getting 100+ flying hours per month.
Clem

[oldford2]

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Clem,
I loved your story. I am amazed at your memory and your military history. Thanks for your service.
One of my military Ford related memories is I when I was in the Army and driving Ford flatbeds. Several times when I stopped and shut down the engine it would not re-start so I would sit by the road and wait for it to cool and then re-start. I learned then not to shut it off. Now after 60 years I realized it was my coil. Where was Skip when we needed him?
John

[Clem Clement]

Ford carried many a service person safely. Thanks for your service

[GB SISSON]

OK, two really awesome posts in one night. I grew up with my dad talking military aircraft instead of bedtime stories. With the barn, I feel like I am 'home'.....

[dumb person]

pix please

[jimalabam]

Clem: I knew we had more in common than our Fords. By the time I graduated from flight school things had changed in the USAF and I along with the other young bucks just knew I would get to be a stove pipe jockey in a fighter. NOT SO - I was assigned to SAC to fly B-52's and reported to Carswell AFB inn Texas. But after the first disapoimtment, I have never regretted being a "Bus Driver" on a BUFF, and retired 33+ years later. Jim...

[40 Deluxe]

Originally Posted by Clem Clement

My 1939 pickup named “Uncle Raeman”

Uncle Raeman took over as my Dad after Daddy died. Uncle Raeman drove a beat up 5 window Chebby pickup with Borden’s Garage on the white sides and a gas welding rig in the back. He passed on 2 years after Daddy. I wanted that truck! My 1940 Merc was sold and I was driving Mothers ‘41 Ford coupe. I was on the soccer team at my college, Stevens in Hoboken, where the coach said you can’t have Saturday game day off to go to the action. Uncle Joe and Uncle Tom were there. I don’t know who got the truck but I never saw it any more.
Many years later as I was about to graduate from USAF flying school the fateful morning came for us all to pick our choice of aircraft. We had 7 fighters on the list and they went early. Passenger planes, tankers next on and on. When my turn came, they offered B-52, B-47, C-198 C-124, C-130 WB-50, RB-50, KB-50 KC-135, KC 97 +more.
I had grown up on the Brigantine Island and maintained a weather station in our place. I had been thru several hurricanes and thought I knew something so I chose the WB-50 weather recon airplane. 3 years later and 2100 pilot hours, I took a WB to the bone yard as the Squadron closed and I went on to fly KB-50s tactical tankers. About a year and a half later, after we crashed 2 of them killing ½ of a crew, I took a KB-50 to the junk yards. Charlie Brown was the next pilot behind me in flying school rankings and he took the only RB-30 offered. He went to a Photo Recce Squadron who were photographing territories in South America. He lived there with his wife for a couple of years until that RB was junked. The late Gil Williams was an engineer assigned to the ground portion of their mission. Had I selected the RB, I might have met Gill I years earlier. Gill and I played together with Model A Fords here is VA. He had an old green 1939 tired pickup which eventually came my way. The Late Mr. Ed and the Late Gill built the truck from pieces of 3 trucks, as I understand it. They added some good stuff and 94327502973 steel coat-hangers source of welding metal to hold things together. In sum: I own a fun pickup with lots of history. I did not even know what a “horse collar” truck was.
I love bending wrenches. I thought after Daddy died, I would go work for Uncle Raeman and get my own shop someday. Not to be. I have gathered books on the ‘39 and fixed a ton of things. Oh, the patina. I love the well-worked look. A truuuck should show what he’d done. Back in the farms of South Jersey, if a farmer could scrape enough chicken egg coins to buy a new truck, he did not waste the trip to the dealer. He did the weeks shopping, grabbed a pig or two and some chickens and concrete then drove to his bud’s farm to show off the new truck. it was a tired truck from day one because it was a working tool
My truck named Uncle Raeman, is fun to work on. I relieve my stresses under him. He ain’t worth much, but we are a team learning about trucking in the slow lane.
Clem

Skipping that auction just to play soccer was sure short-sighted, wasn't it?!

[Clem Clement]

very nice to have plenty of engines. The old Buff served so well. My flight school roomy got the B-47. A couples of mouth later he got to go thru a barn with no parachute. Nice kid. Fortunately I got some great assignments and finished up as a Colonel in OSD. Funny how things worked out.
Clem

[38bill]

Thanks for the stories. Being a private pilot I really appreciate what all you military fly guys (and gals) did. PS: My '38 served at the Minneapolis airport for the first half of its life.

[Ron Hutchins]

My green '39 met your Uncle Raeman in Virginia several years ago. Never knew your military status as I thought your special interest was railroad. Thanks for your service, mine was Navy. My vineyard green '39 pickup is still active and I hope your Ford continues to be a joy to you.

[cmbrucew]

The Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) is a headquarters-level staff of the United States Department of Defense. ... All of these positions are Presidential appointments which require U.S. Senate confirmation, as do each of their sole deputies.
Parent agency: Department of Defense


Jurisdiction: General management and oversi...


Headquarters: Pentagon



Office of the Secretary of Defense - Wikipedia

[tubman]

Huh?

Howz about a picture or two?

[V8COOPMAN]

I want B-50 and KC-97 pics! DD

[Clem Clement]

OSD: Office of the Secretary of Defense, I serves in 2 sections: as an exec in C3I and as a staff Officer in Air Warfare. Difficult work: military duty, not appointed I worked in the principal deputy's office for part of my tour. Then I moved down the hall to Air Warfare as staff officer for nonnuclear cruise missile R&D. I went thru 2 budget cycles.4 years in OSD and 23 1/2 years of service total Then it was time to go home to South Jersey. Mother was in her late years and we moved her in with us where she got to see what I grew up to be and to get to know the kids and our dog. I went to work in RCA in Advanced Development. Great job.

[Tinker]

amazing story and life!!! I appreciate you.

[RKS.PA]

Originally Posted by Clem Clement

OSD: Office of the Secretary of Defense, I serves in 2 sections: as an exec in C3I and as a staff Officer in Air Warfare. Difficult work: military duty, not appointed I worked in the principal deputy's office for part of my tour. Then I moved down the hall to Air Warfare as staff officer for nonnuclear cruise missile R&D. I went thru 2 budget cycles.4 years in OSD and 23 1/2 years of service total Then it was time to go home to South Jersey. Mother was in her late years and we moved her in with us where she got to see what I grew up to be and to get to know the kids and our dog. I went to work in RCA in Advanced Development. Great job.

Well done, Colonel Clement!! Veterans like you are a gift to our country. I grew up on a NJ farm very near McGuire AFB, and was an AF mechanic (E5) during Vietnam. Your service was a heck of a lot more significant than mine!!